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Author Notes:Vegetable soups are one of my favorite autumn treats, because they are simple, healthy and warming. There are many seasonal vegetables among which one can choose, but what best than butternut squash? To me it's perfect cooked in every way. Someone may object that squashes are flavorless and it's partly true, but maybe it's thanks to this characteristic that they are so versatile. Celeriac is another vegetable of the season which adds a little flavor to squash. To spice up this soup I added a little curry and a topping made with fried bacon and leek. —Rita Banci

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

For the soup:

1.4
pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks

1
celeriac, peeled and cut into chunks

1
garlic clove

1
shallot, peeled and sliced

3-4
tablespoons extravergine olive oil

1
teaspoon coriander seeds

2
teaspoons curry powder

400
milliliters vegetable stock

salt and pepper to taste

For the leek and bacon topping:

4.5
ounces bacon, diced

1
leek, sliced

1
tablespoon extravergine olive oil

In This Recipe

Directions

In a large frying pan fry shallot, garlic and coriander seeds in the extravergine olive oil for about 1-2 minutes till shallot is golden. Remove garlic.

Toss celeriac and squash in the pan and cook covered for about 10 minutes. Pour in vegetable stock and cook for 20 minutes till vegetables are tender. Stir in curry, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend the vegetables with a stick blender till you have a smooth puree. Serve into soup bowls.

In the meantime you have prepared the leek and bacon topping. Fry the bacon in a frying pan till crispy and golden. Set aside. In another frying pan heat oil and cook the leek covered for about 15 minutes till it's tender. Sprinkle leek and bacon on top of the soup and serve.